The Fleetwood Mac album-a-thon

The Dance

2011-11-06T08:37:00.000+00:00

The Dance is a live album that was recorded for an MTV special in California and released in August 1997. For the first time in ten years we saw the return of the classic line-up of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, although unfortunately it marked the last time that Christine would tour or record with the band. On the plus side, Stevie and Lindsey were to rejoin for at least one more studio album.

The concert is available in its 22 track entirety on DVD, with the CD version being cut to 17 tracks - missing are Gold dust woman, Gypsy, Go insane (a Lindsey Buckingham solo album track that would eventually appear on the 2-disc version of The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac), Over my head and Songbird (which was the show closer). The running order has been changed slightly on a couple of tracks too - most notably Rhiannon. The album reached #15 in the UK and #1 in the US.

On with the show then, and it starts with a rousing performance of The Chain, with great harmonies from Lindsey, Stevie and Christine that are faultless throughout the concert. If you watch the DVD then you can see that the band are at so much more ease with each other, especially the interaction between Stevie and Lindsey. At the end of the song Stevie welcomes everybody before breaking into a stunning performance of Dreams, in which Lindsey's added vocals give the song new meaning. They'll never top the version on Rumours but this is decent enough.

Christine thanks everybody for coming and says "Welcome to our little soiree" before introducing Everywhere, which is one of only two songs here from Tango in the night. This is a brilliant version with Christine's perfect vocal. On the DVD she is mostly stood behind the keyboard and letting Stevie and Lindsey hog the limelight, but she manages to shine just as much throughout. They've changed the chorus slightly and it really works with the others putting their own spin on it. A definite highlight for me.

Gold dust woman should have been next but is replaced by a great take on Rhiannon (which is track 17 on the DVD), this is presumably to spread the Stevie Nicks vocals out a bit. It has a harder, more rockier feel and this leads us into I'm so afraid, always a crowd pleaser and one that is heavy on the guitars. In fact it is seven and a half minutes of ace guitar work, heartbreaking vocals by Lindsey and a lot more guitar brilliance at the end. It's very atmospheric and one I would love to hear in the flesh - if I ever get to see them now. The finish is phenomenal, and the crowd go wild.

A brand new song follows called Temporary one, written by Christine and her husband Eddy Quintela and sung mainly by Christine. Stevie and Lindsey join in the chorus though and provide a feel-good performance of a positive sounding song that has the makings of being an anthem. Shame it was never released in any other form as I love it. Bleed to love her follows, which Lindsey explains was intended for a solo album and that him and Mick working on the track together was how the whole reunion idea came about. It was to eventually end up on the band's 2003 album Say you will, and this is a heartfelt version that doesn't sound too different to that.

The version of Big love on here was actually included on the 2002 Very best of album in place of the original, and I can sort of see why as it's a great performance. The intro is a lot faster and it's sung as more of a rock song, and more heartfelt. Stevie then sounds amazing on Landslide and gives such a tender, but powerful, vocal that it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end when I hear it. You could hear a pin drop in the crowd, until the end when they go absolutely wild. Then you have to watch the DVD to see Lindsey kiss Stevie on the lips, which is a great moment.

Christine brings ex-husband John McVie out to the front now where he shares the backing vocal (apparantly for the first time ever) with the rest of the band on an energetic performance of Say you love me. "It's a new take on a very old song" as Christine so beautifully puts it. Lindsey then takes a minute, amid Mick's tomfoolery, to introduce a new track of his called My little demon, which opens with demonic noises and Lindsey's vocals lead to another anthemic catchy little number that also should be more famous than it is.

Stevie delivers another flawless vocal on the gorgeous Silver springs, with great harmonies from Christine and Lindsey on the chorus. It's unbelievable that not many people would have known this at the time as it is just incredible, or as Stevie puts it "Silver springs is a great old song". A rocking performance of You make loving fun moves from it's original place after Say you love me, but you hardly notice the join. Then a new Stevie Nicks song called Sweet girl follows. It's quite an upbeat track with a positive feel which would have sounded great on one of her solo albums, although it sounds great sung live on here.

The big anthemic rock numbers are saved for the end, and Go your own way is the last one before the encore. Stevie bounces well off Lindsey here, despite being the subject of the song when it was written twenty years previously. It's a powerful hard rock performance and the guitars smash it.

Tusk brings the band back onto the stage, together with the USC Trojan Marching Band, who add a whole new dimension to the track. I would have loved to have been there for this as it's magnificent - although you need to watch the DVD to get the full effect. Mick's drumming is spot-on, as is John's bass and Lindsey's guitar. The whole thing continues on the CD closer, Don't stop, which Christine says "They've never done with a brass section before, so this should be interesting". Interesting doesn't even begin to cover it, the whole thing is a masterpiece of epic proportions. Again you really need to see it on the DVD to get a proper feel of how it comes together on the stage, but the harmonies on the chorus along with the brass band give a whole new feeling of positivity to the song, which I would rate as my favourite from the whole show. On the DVD everybody leaves the stage now, leaving Christine on her own to do a solo of Songbird, but this is left off the CD.

Well, what an album! There are definite highs, but the whole thing uplifts you like no other Fleetwood Mac album does - especially the last two tracks. I don't give enough credit to Mick's drumming skills, as they makes some of the tracks sound so much better, John's bass playing is also out of this world, and Lindsey and Stevie just own the stage most of the time. Christine hides behind her microphone a lot but her presence is definitely felt and it would have been a much less special event without her. I would definitely recommend buying the DVD as well though, as it will make you listen to the album in a whole new light.

Time

2011-10-30T14:24:00.000+00:00

October 1995 finally saw the release of a new studio album for the band, and for the sixteenth studio release we lost Stevie Nicks and Rick Vito, and gained in their place Dave Mason (former guitarist with Traffic) and Bekka Bramlett (daughter of sixties duo Delaney & Bonnie). They joined Billy Burnette and long-time members Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to form another six-piece. Christine however had given up touring by this stage and was soon to quit the band, which collapsed altogether shortly after this release - before reuniting with the full Rumours line-up two years later on The Dance.

Back to this album though, and an open mind is required to listen to it - ie. don't be put off by the many negative reviews that you have no doubt read. You need to forget about Fleetwood Mac line-ups of old and remember that that is what they have always been about - constant change. The album scraped into the UK charts at #47, and didn't even chart in the US, but I feel this is probably due to lack of promotion and no single releases.

Billy Burnette delivers a more countrified sound on album opener, Talkin' to my heart, which he co-wrote with Deborah Allen and Rafe VanHoy. It's certainly a leap from anything he did on Behind the mask, although his vocals are instantly recognisable. Bekka's background vocals add a completely new sound to the band, who only ever had two female vocalists in its entire history until now, and the song itself is undeniably catchy and instant.

The first of five compositions by Christine McVie and husband Eddy Quintela is Hollywood (some other kind of town), which is another infectious vocal, that is unmistakeably Christine and an underrated gem that reminds me of some of her earlier work before Stevie Nicks joined the band. It is also evident from the lyrical content that she has had enough of the bright lights and wants to get out of the band. Blow by blow follows, which Dave Mason co-wrote and delivers like a catchy eighties rock track. It gives the band yet another new sound but it's welcome. Another version of the track had previously been featured in the 1994 World Cup.

Bekka Bramlett shows off her vocal range next on the Kit Hain composed Winds of change (not to be confused with the Scorpions song), which is a gorgeous country ballad that eases her nicely into the band. Her voice is powerful and flawless and I can't imagine why she hasn't become a massive star. Christine strikes gold again on I do, which was released as a promotional single only. Shame as it, along with a few others, deserved to be a massive hit.

Bekka then reveals her rocky side on Nothing without you, which she co-wrote with her father Delaney and Doug Gilmore. It's a show-stopping little country-rock number that is a massive grower. It then all gets serious on Dreamin' the dream, which she wrote with Billy, a beautiful tender ballad that has always been a stand-out track for me and could have been a #1 in my eyes. Stunning is the way I would describe her vocals on this.

Christine delivers another monster ballad on Sooner or later, another stand-out track, and the long instrumental fade-out at the end fills me with longing for more. Another immediately catchy track is I wonder why, a rock song that Dave gives a powerful performance on, aided by Bekka's glorious backing vocals. Nights in Estoril is just beautiful, and another credit to Christine on an album where she more than proves her worth without Lindsey and Stevie. It's sad that this is her last studio album with the band, but then who knows?

Billy delivers another great country rock vocal on I got it in for you, which is one of the heavier tracks on the album, and then Christine delivers her fifth and final performance with the goodbye song, All over again. It is absolutely gorgeous and another lost classic, even if it is tinged with sadness with her talking about 'finally breaking the chain', suggesting a clean break from the band.

These strange times is the album closer, which at over seven minutes is the longest track here. Written by Mick Fleetwood and Ray Kennedy, this is Mick talking about how bad his life is at this point and he gives reference to Peter Green on the line 'They said he was a man of the world'. Bekka's backing vocals and the mix of instruments make this a stunning track, which brings a lump to the throat and finishes the album on a completely different tone to how it began.

Strange then, that an album which is constantly reviewed in a negative light, and which Q magazine deemed no tracks worthy of downloading, is one where I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to every track on this occasion - and I have always been quite fond of it anyway, despite missing Stevie Nicks originally. Now I have come to realise that she is only part of an ever-changing chain and it is in fact Christine McVie who has proved to be a vital link during most of the changing periods. Bekka's contribution is stunning, and I'm sure another album with her, Dave and Billy would have gone down quite well. All in all, I think this is a totally underrated gem of an album that you have to give a chance to, and at least eight of the tracks would have been worthy singles.

Live At The BBC

2011-10-25T10:45:00.000+01:00

We're in between studio albums again. In September 1995 a 2 disc, 36 track album was released called Live At the BBC which contained various BBC radio sessions recorded between 1967 and 1971 when the band was made up (in varying stages) of Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Danny Kirwan. Many of the tracks featured were otherwise unavailable so I thought it definitely worth me reviewing.

The first disc kicks off with Rattlesnake shake, first broadcast on Radio One in April 1970. Peter Green jams his way through but at over seven and a half minutes long I was waiting for the end - I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to the two 24+ minute versions on the Live in Boston albums which I've yet to listen to. Sandy Mary is another Peter Green track, which was written for his girlfriend at the time and would have been the title track of the next Fleetwood Mac album if he hadn't left the band in 1970, suggesting that the band's sound would have gone in a more hard driving rock direction as oppose to the rock and roll direction they went with on Kiln House. You can really let yourself go with this one and drift into another world.

I believe my time ain't long, and we're back to the famous Elmore James riffs that Jeremy Spencer obviously loved. Then we are treated to Danny's haunting vocals on Although the sun is shining, which sound even more heart-wrenching live and acoustic. Only you is another Kirwan track, recorded in May 1970 for Radio One's Top Gear, it was also re-recorded for his last solo album, Hello there big boy, which I am desperate for a copy of. There's not much in the way of lyrics but the guitars are rocking. Jeremy Spencer then does his Elvis impersonation on the Baker Knight track You never know what you're missing, which is catchy and boppy and I like a lot on first listen.

One of Peter Green's biggest hits, Oh Well, is less than two and a half minutes long here but it's enough to rock the house down - although I'd have preferred more of this and less of Rattlesnake shake to be honest.He then shows his emotional side on a Fats Domino track (written by lloyd Price) called Can't believe you wanna leave, which is a blues-style rocker.

It all goes a bit fifties style then, and Jeremy Spencer's catchy Jenny Lee, followed by a rather good Conway Twitty/Jack Nance track called Heavenly, in which Jeremy sounds a bit like Elvis again. He then does a good take of the Everly Brothers classic, When will I be loved from 1959. Danny Kirwan goes a bit rock and roll then on When I see my baby, which he wrote himself but sounds like it could easily have been a massive hit in the late fifties. Jeremy's Buddy's song continues the theme on his tribute to the late Buddy Holly, and another track from Kiln House (Hi ho silver) is re-named here as Honey Hush, which is sung by Jeremy again and has more of a rockabilly sound.

I enjoyed all of that rock and roll, but I'm ready for some rocking guitars now. Instead we get a Son House track called Preachin' that Jeremy does practically on his own and is just a weird mix of eerie vocals and guitar playing, and probably my least favourite track of theirs so far since I've been doing these reviews. Peter Green returns then on Jumpin' at shadows, a haunting track that was included on the album The Original Fleetwood Mac. This is stripped back and heartbreaking. He then jams through a Robert Johnson track called Prechin' blues that doesn't really do much for me, and the first disc ends with the brilliant Need your love so bad, although the sound isn't as sharp on this one - which is a shame as it's one of my all-time favourite Peter Green tracks.

Disc two starts with Peter Green giving a good delivery of Long grey mare, a bluesy track from the debut album, with infectious guitars and drum beat. Sweet home Chicago follows, which is another Robert Johnson composition and features more upbeat vocals from Peter. The band all sound like they are having fun on this and giving the various instruments all thy've got. Then that all familiar Elmore James riff is back on a track of his called Baby please set a date. Jeremy does play it well but it sounds very samey.

Danny gives a good vocal on Blues with a feeling (credited to Little Walter, although according to Wikipedia it was written in 1947 by Rabon Tarrant), although it's not one of my favourites. The sound quality isn't great on Stop messing around, but it's a good fast performance by Peter and barely recognisable from the original. The interestingly titled Tallahassee Lassie (a hit for Freddy Cannon) is next and is pure rock and roll. It actually doesn't sound like Peter Green or Fleetwood Mac at all, but it's a good send-up all the same.

Jeremy is on his own now with a piano, and just Mick on drums, on the absolutely beautiful Hang on to a dream. Written by Tim Hardin, this really brings out Jeremy's soulful side and could just as easily be John Lennon singing. He then goes a bit Buddy Holly-esque on the track Linda, which is infectious as they come, and then he's back doing the blues on the Elmore James classic, Mean mistreatin' mama, although at least the riff is a bit different to the usual.

Peter on his own now on World keeps turning, a slow burning blues number that was included on the debut album. Then Jeremy does I can't hold out, which is a retitled version of Elmore James' Telephone blues and was also featured on Blues Jam at Chess. It's the same old riff but quite infectious. There's a rare Danny Kirwan track now called Early morning come, recorded for Radio One's Top Gear in May 1969, and I think this is the only place you will find this track. There isn't much in the way of lyrics and it's really only for completists like me, but the fact that it's by Danny has me more interested than I'd otherwise be.

A stunning version of Albatross is equally as mesmerizing and haunting (if not more) than the original. Looking for somebody follows, and Peter gives a heart-rending interpretation of this. Then he sounds almost morose on A fool no more (also from The Original Fleetwood Mac), which really does tug at the heart strings. Jeremy takes over then on a more stripped back and soulful version of Got to move, and then we come to Like crying, like dying (which features on Then play on merely as Like crying) where Danny's vocals and guitar compliment nicely with Peter's brilliant guitar work. It's nothing like the version on Then play on (which I absolutely adore) but still good. The final track is Man of the world, and Peter Green gives a hauntingly brilliant performance, and it isn't too far removed from the single version and a fantastic way off rounding off the album.

I'll admit I had to listen to this album in two sittings, but it's a purchase that I'm glad I made - and not just for the otherwise unavailable tracks. For the vast majority of the time the sound quality really is excellent, especially when you consider the age of the recordings, and it's a refreshing look at the original Fleetwood Mac band (plus Danny) that I am growing ever more interested in.

25 Years - The Chain (4-disc boxset)

2011-10-19T16:10:00.000+01:00

In 1992 Fleetwood Mac released a 4 CD compilation covering their entire career up to that point. Named The Chain it features many of their best loved tracks along with some previously unreleased ones, some new remixes of old favourites and a few live recordings. It all comes in a nice black box with a thick booklet of photos, messages and trivia. A 2 CD version is also available.

CD1 starts with two new songs. Paper doll was written by Stevie Nicks, Rick Vito and John Heron and was originally recorded for the 1988 Greatest Hits album. I don't know why it didn't make it on there as it is catchy as hell and quite an upbeat little ditty. Love shines is a Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela composition that is sung nicely by Christine and has grown on me a lot over the years. It was released as a single in the UK to coincide with this album, although it could only reach #83.

Stand back is one of Stevie Nicks' most well-known solo songs now, and a live version that the band recorded in 1987 is featured on here. It was originally included on her 1983 album, The Wild heart (which I expect I will get to eventually) and you're better off with that version to be honest, although it is nice to have here. Crystal is then followed by an alternate version of Isn't it midnight, which being one of my favourites from Tango in the night I was excited to hear. I definitely wasn't disappointed and this version is poppier and funkier, but without losing any of its mystical charm. I love it.

After a couple of big hits from Tango in the night (Big love and Everywhere) and an album track from Behind the mask (Affairs of the heart) we get our third new song of the release. Heart of stone is another Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela song that is in the same soft rock vein as Love shines. It's another grower which rolls along at a nice pace and has an infectious chorus. A feast of classics follow that - Sara, That's all for everyone, Over my head, Little lies, Eyes of the world, Oh Diane and In the back of my mind, before we get a Lindsey Buckingham track that was actually an outtake from his solo album Out of the cradle. Entitled Make me a mask it is quite different from anything else on CD1, and is an eerie sounding song that is about as alternative as he gets. I like it but I doubt it will become a favourite of mine.

CD2 concentrates on the same era, starting with the gorgeous Save me. Then there is another Lindsey Buckingham composition called Goodbye angel, which was actually a leftover from the Mirage album from 1982 and is quite beautiful and dream-like. It would have sat very well on Mirage, but I suppose they couldn't include everything.

Most fans will know all about Silver springs and how it was famously (and foolishly) left off the Rumours album, despite being superior to a lot of the songs on there in my opinion. Well until this release it was only available as the B-side to Go your own way, so that was reason enough for anybody to buy this boxset at the time (of course you can just download the song now but we didn't have such modern technology in those days!). I think this is one of the most beautiful songs Stevie Nicks ever wrote or sang and would easily be in my all-time Fleetwood Mac top ten. Stunning is the word, and I love how it builds up until the chorus just repeats itself over and over at the end.

What makes you think you're the one and Think about me (both from Tusk) follow, and then we are treated to the full unedited version of Gypsy, with a more drawn out ending that adds a new element to an already classic song. You make loving fun is followed by a trio of alternate mixes of popular songs - Second hand news, Love in store and The chain. None of them are too different from the originals (I can't tell the difference on The chain) with Love in store being the best mix for me.

Another unreleased track from the Mirage sessions is Teen beat. Written by Lindsey with Richard Dashut it basically sounds like a jam session with the words "oh, oh, oh" repeated over and over again, along with Lindsey making various other noises. It's quite a funky track but it definitely didn't belong on Mirage. An alternate mix of Dreams doesn't differ too much from the Rumours original, although as it's my favourite song of all-time I know it inside out and can hear some subtle changes and it doesn't get to me quite as much.

Only over you (from Mirage) is followed by the version of I'm so afraid from Live and Love is dangerous (from Behind the mask). There is an alternate mix of Gold dust woman that sounds mellower than the Rumours version, but other than that there's not much difference. Then the CD ends with a live version of Not that funny, which is an edited version from the "In concert: Mirage tour 1982" video package. It's not that different from the version on Live though.

CD3 is mostly made up of classic tracks from the same era. Warm ways, Say you love me, Don't stop, Rhiannon, Walk a thin line, Storms, Go your own way, Sisters of the moon, Monday morning (from Live), Landslide and Hypnotized are all present, and then we get a nice previously unreleased alternate version of Lay it all down (originally from Future games). It's nice to hear a couple of Bob Welch tracks to remind people that there was life before 1975, and this new version of Lay it all down sounds a bit faster and more rockier, but just as infectious as the original.

Angel has become one of my absolute favourites since reviewing Tusk and is probably my favourite track from that album now, so it's nice to hear an alternate mix on here, even though it's hard to spot a lot of difference if I'm honest. Beautiful child also has an alternate mix, which is equally as haunting and beautiful as the original from Tusk. For me these remain two of Stevie Nicks' biggest masterpieces. The CD closes with three from Tusk (Brown eyes, Save me a place and Tusk) and two from Rumours (Never going back again and Songbird).

The entire Peter Green/Danny Kirwan/Bob Welch era (except those two Welch tracks on CD3) is squeezed onto CD4, with the first ten songs not sounding entirely different to their first Greatest Hits album from 1971. They are - I believe my time ain't long, Need your love so bad, Rattlesnake shake, Oh well (part 1) (original mono version), Stop messin' around, The green manalishi, Albatross, Man of the world, Love that burns and Black magic woman. Watch out is featured from Blues jam at chess, then we are treated to String-a-long, recorded in 1969 and from the proposed Jeremy Spencer EP. Written by Jimmy Duncan and Robert Doyle it sounds a bit like Buddy Holly and wouldn't have sounded out of place on Kiln house.

Unfortunately that is it from the Peter Green era, but we get Station man (from Kiln House), Did you ever love me (Penguin), Sentimental lady (Bare trees), and then Come a little bit closer and Heroes are hard to find (both from that album). A real treat is next in the shape of Trinity, although it is shocking that this is the only solo Danny Kirwan composition on here. This is a previously unreleased track that is a guitar filled stormer of a song with Danny's familiar vocal style. Why (from Mystery to me) rounds off the CD and the compilation.

Musically this boxset is faultless, but I feel the Peter Green era needed at least a whole CD, and the same for the 'in between' era (we definitely should have had a lot more Danny!). Two CDs could have nicely covered the Buckingham/Nicks era I feel, without leaving off any of the new tracks - which really is what I was interested in most. The case and booklet are lovely though, although if you can do without these and only want the new tracks then the 2CD version will probably suffice.

Behind The Mask

2011-09-13T10:58:00.000+01:00

After a rather quiet eighties for releases, Fleetwood Mac's fifteenth studio album, Behind the mask, came out in April 1990 and went straight to #1 in the UK (although it did sell considerably less than Tango in the night and didn't produce any top forty singles). The band now comprised of Stevie Nicks (for the last time until 1997's The Dance), Billy Burnette, Rick Vito, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. Lindsey Buckingham did play acoustic guitar on the Behind the mask song though.

Skies the limit (Christine McVie, Eddy Quintela) is the first track and a pleasant enough pop song which was a single, unfortunately not a charting one though. It's a positive feeling track for the band that suggests new beginnings, but does not compare to Christine's tracks on Tango in the night and should really have remained an album track. Love is dangerous is a joint composition by Rick Vito and Stevie Nicks (there aren't many solo compositions on here) and Rick eases his way into the band's sound with a country infused rock piece where Stevie takes joint lead on the vocal front. It's a world away from the sound of Lindsey Buckingham and takes on more of an Eagles sound.

Billy Burnette debuts with In the back of my mind, which is a track he co-wrote with David E. Malloy, and another one that was released as a single. It did slightly better than Skies the limit and reached #53 in the UK (the same position as lead single Save me). At seven minutes long it takes a couple to get going and is probably the least commercial track on the album, but with Stevie and Christine adding their vocals to this epic rock piece it all works very well. Christine and Billy team up to co-write the next track, Do you know, where the pair's vocals merge together nicely to make a nice strong rock ballad.

Probably the catchiest song on here is Save me, a Christine McVie classic that she wrote with her then husband, Eddy Quintela. At the time I was expecting it to be a massive hit, so was quite disappointed when it didn't even make the top fifty, although in the US it was the band's last top twenty hit. By now Christine has found a knack of writing the perfect infectious pop song with gorgeous melodies and this would have sat nicely on their previous Greatest Hits album.

Stevie Nicks delivers a quality tune on Affairs of the heart, a grower of a soft rock track that would have sat well on her The other side of the mirror album which came out the year before. Then we get a tinge of fifties rock and roll vibe on When the sun goes down, co-written by Burnette and Vito. It has a real Everly Brothers feel and makes for one of the best songs on the album. Actually it wouldn't have sounded completely out of place on Kiln House.

Christine's only solo composition on here is the title track, Behind the mask, and is another corker. It is a hauntingly brilliant ballad which is made even better by Lindsey's acoustic guitar. Stand on the rock (written by Rick Vito) is another catchy track that you could imagine the Eagles doing if they went experimental. Then Billy Burnette and Jeff Silbar bring us the fantastic Hard feelings, a nice simple ballad with such a strong melody that it could easily have been the lead single and is definitely one of my very favourite tracks on here.

Freedom (Stevie Nicks, Mike Campbell) is a rockier song but equally catchy and another that could have been a single. When it comes to love, written by Burnette with the aid of Simon Climie (of Climie Fisher fame) and Dennis Morgan, is another one that I really like. Christine and Billy harmonise well on here and the pace is nice and steady. Finally we come to The Second time, which was written by Stevie and Rick and seems to be almost universally hated on the web. I don't actually think it's that bad, it just doesn't really go anywhere as a ballad. Vocally it isn't Stevie's strongest performance either but as the album closer it does it's job OK. That said it is definitely the weakest track on the album.

So then, Behind the mask works for me as a Fleetwood Mac album. It may be a world away from anything they've done before but isn't that what they've always been about, trying new things? Billy and Rick slot nicely into the space left by Lindsey and find their own comfortable soft country rock style that works well with both Christine and Stevie. There are definitely some tracks on here that deserve far more recognition than they get, namely Save me, Hard feelings, Freedom, Affairs of the heart, Behind the mask and When the sun goes down, which could all have been singles. It's definitely worth a purchase if you're a fan - just don't expect it to sound like Rumours or Tango in the night because it's a different kettle of fish entirely.

Greatest Hits (1988)

2011-08-27T09:18:00.000+01:00

After the huge success of Tango in the night the band released a new Greatest Hits album in November 1988 while the public were still hungry for Fleetwood Mac's music. This includes nothing pre-1975 so if you're only interested in the Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham era hits then you can't go wrong with this, although Lindsey has been replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito (interesting that they needed two people to replace him) for the two new songs featured.

The UK version of this is seventeen tracks long, and is the one that I am going to concentrate on here, while the US left off the magnificent Seven wonders and the poppy Oh Diane in favour of Over my head, which isn't as good as either of those in my opinion. As only the singles are included then there's no classic album tracks such as The Chain, Songbird or Landslide. They also decided to leave off the wonderful Isn't it midnight and Mac classics Can't go back and Family man.

Anyway enough of what isn't on there, as there is more than enough here to help you forget what could have been. Rhiannon opens proceedings and has you immediately entranced. Go your own way, Don't stop, Gypsy, Everywhere, You make loving fun and Big love ensure you never want to even look at the skip button. As long as you follow is the first of the new tracks and is a Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela composition that is a pure delight. Infectiously dreamy and radio friendly it is classic Christine and should have been a big hit. Unfortunately it wasn't, but it still sounds great amongst all the classics.

Side two opens with Say you love me, then my favourite, Dreams. Little lies, Oh Diane, the full six and a half minute version of Sara is followed by the only other song from Tusk, the title track. Seven wonders thankfully makes an appearance on this version of the album and then Hold me, which is included despite flopping in the UK - never mind, it sounds great on here. That's it then apart from one more new song, the Stevie Nicks/Kelly Johnston composed No questions asked, which was released as the B-side of a re-released Hold me (that still flopped!), and is Stevie sounding more fiery and sure of herself than she did on Tango in the night, along with a catchy tune that makes for another classic moment to end what is surely one of the most consistently brilliant discs ever produced.

Tango In The Night

2011-08-23T16:40:00.000+01:00

Fans had to wait a full five years after Mirage before Tango in the night, its follow-up was released in April 1987 and became the band's fourteenth studio album to date. During those five years they had all except John released at least one solo album, with the only band offering being a seven track Live in Boston which was recorded in 1970 when Peter Green was still at the forefront. (I have decided to wait and review the full three volume version which was released in 1998 with much better sound quality).

Tango in the night was the fifth and final album to feature the line-up of Lindsey, Stevie, Christine, John and Mick, and the band were soon to be turned upside down once more as Lindsey decided to quit in the same year as its release. He was subsequently replaced on the tour by musicians Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. In fact Lindsey's tracks on this album were originally intended for a new solo project but he was persuaded to use them as part of the new Fleetwood Mac album, which went on to become their second biggest selling studio album ever and spawned six single releases, three of which made the UK top ten. The album itself reached the #1 position no less than three separate times and remains one of the biggest sellers of all-time. Impressive stuff.

This album was the first Fleetwood Mac album I ever owned, and I almost wore the cassette out (I didn't have a CD player in those days) through playing it constantly at home and also when I was allowed to have it playing on the school bus. It has remained very special to me to this day, so let's get on with talking about the tracks.

Big love is the first track and was the first single to be released, reaching as high as #9 in the UK charts, which is impressive when you consider that their singles hadn't very often done great and the song wasn't at all commercial. In fact in 1987 it sounded decidedly fresh and different to anything else around at that time, and it hasn't aged badly at all. This is the kind of thing you get when you give Lindsey a free rein and perhaps the band had finally realised that.

Stevie Nicks was having a bit of a troubled time during the recording of this album, although she still managed to complete three tracks, the first of which, Seven wonders, is an absolute diamond studded classic. It's one of the best songs she's ever sung in my opinion, despite her not having actually wrote it (Sandy Stewart wrote the song but Stevie added extra lyrics) and I'll never understand why it wasn't a big hit despite only being the second single from the album and being one of the most radio friendly and endearing songs the band ever recorded, and it's catchy as hell too.

Once the first two tracks are done then the rest of the album bows down to the brilliance of Christine McVie's songs on here. It really is her finest hour and contains some of the most genius tracks she has ever produced, starting with Everywhere, a world-class piece of pop that is also a love song which immediately has you hooked from the first listen. No wonder it reached as high as #4 in the charts despite being the fifth single to be released from the album. It remains just as popular today and is regularly played at wedding disco's.

That's not to say that the rest of the band don't play their part in making this album as great as it is. Lindsey's Caroline has plenty of drums, like Big love, and continues his new-found style which runs a thread through the album. The title track, Tango in the night, carries the theme on but is moodier, building up from the hauntingly mellow verses to a thumping chorus and a fantastic guitar solo throughout and Lindsey manages to take you off somewhere far away on this epic track. He shares the songwriting with Christine on Mystified, with her singing the vocals on this gorgeous little ballad. It says something about the quality of her tracks on here when I say that this is easily the weakest of the four that she sings.

And then we come to the best. Little lies is the first track on side two (if you are listening on vinyl or cassette) and was written and sung by Christine, although she does share songwriting credit with her then husband, Eddy Quintela. The song is an absolute timeless classic and never fails to touch the heartstrings even now. In fact I would say it's the best song she ever sung, as is reflected on its chart performance (it reached #5 in the UK and was the third single), and it has probably been featured on many a power ballad compilation.

The fourth single release was Family man, although this failed to do big things chart-wise, which was written by Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut. It is poppier and catchier than his songs on side one, although it still has the same exotic feel to it and deserved to be a much bigger hit than it was.

Stevie takes a bit of a back seat for most of this album so she's almost been forgotten about by the time it comes to Welcome to the room...Sara, which may not be one of the highlights of the album, or her career, but it's still a reasonably strong track and deserves its place. Christine and Lindsey team up again on the magnificent Isn't it midnight, sung by Christine and the final single from the album in the UK. It's a track that's always overlooked on best of compilations and that is a travesty as the song is a breath of fresh air, despite being darker and more haunting than usual. In fact it almost sounds indie and is totally underrated in my view.

When I see you again is Stevie's third and final track, a lovely little ballad that is a heartbreaker which gives me goosebumps. Then You and I (part II) closes the show (part I is featured on the B-side of the Big love single and is definitely worth hearing). Again Lindsey and Christine have joint songwriting credit, although this one is sung by Lindsey, and they close the album on a high with the poppiest track here. And there's not much more to be said really about this album, except if you haven't already - buy it!!

Mirage

2011-08-17T10:15:00.000+01:00

After the experimental sound of Tusk, for their thirteenth studio album, released in June 1982, Fleetwood Mac went back to the more commercial soft rock sound that sells records. It's the fourth album of the same line-up (Buckingham, Nicks, C. McVie, J. McVie and Fleetwood), although Stevie and Lindsey had both released their debut solo albums the previous year as they were feeling restricted within the band.

What of Mirage though? Despite being criticized by many there is much to love here. The opening track, Love in store, is an infectious, upbeat love song written by Christine McVie and Jim Recor and was a hit single in the U.S.. Already you can hear a return to the Californian rock sound of Rumours and it's welcome here. Lindsey Buckingham provides us with the poppy Can't go back, a single in the U.K. which didn't do too well despite being as catchy as they come and rather brilliant.

Now I have to admit to absolutely adoring That's alright, an irresistible country flavoured pop song that Stevie Nicks originally wrote and demoed during the Buckingham Nicks era in 1974. It was called Designs of love then, but I'm so glad she finally got round to releasing it properly in some form as it's a belter. Book of love, written by Lindsey and his friend Richard Dashut, is also insanely catchy and another corker.

We then come to the wonderful Gypsy, a Stevie Nicks standard now that is simply one of her best ever songs. Her friend Robin Anderson had died of leukemia and this was apparantly included as a tribute. It's a hauntingly beautiful song that never ages, and was a much bigger hit in the U.S. than it was in the U.K., although it's since become one of their most well known songs over here. Only over you finishes side one on a dreamy, catchy note that is another strong Christine McVie composition.

The most radical song on here had to be Empire state, another Buckingham/Dashut composition that shows Lindsey isn't ready to be pinned down to one musical style. This tribute to New York has fans divided but that's probably the point and I absolutely love it for its differences. It's also good that the band allowed him a little bit of freedom or I think he would have left before Tango in the night, and that doesn't bear thinking about now.

Stevie's third and final offering on here is Straight back, quite a heart-rending ballad that refers to her leaving her newfound solo success to make another Fleetwood Mac album. Then we come to Hold me, the first single to be taken from this project. It reached #4 in the U.S. but flopped in the U.K., although it still featured on their '88 Greatest Hits and gained a not much more successful re-release. Christine wrote this with Robbie Patton and this is her at her most vulnerable and needy, but cleverly disguised as a very catchy and brilliant pop song.

Oh Diane was the biggest hit in the U.K., reaching the top ten. Lindsey again teamed up with Richard Dashut to write this irresitibly catchy little pop ditty, which seems to be almost universally hated amongst fans for some reason. I freely admit to loving it though, despite not having a clue who Diane is - wasn't he still with Carol Ann Harris at this time?

Eyes of the world was written solely by Lindsey and is a sadder song of heartbreak, yet simple and melodic but remaining catchy. The guitar work on this one is also great. Christine gives us one of her best ever ballads on the album closer, Wish you were here. Co-written with Colin Allen it is a dreamy, heartbreaking and stunningly beautiful track that is definitely one of my favourites from Mirage.

Really then there's not much to not love here. Obviously you're going to get the comparisons to Rumours, but I honestly think that is a success that they could never repeat. I applaud Lindsey's decision to go more experimental on Tusk, because that is a truly great album that proved they could do more than just soft rock. Mirage was an obvious attempt to return to the glory days of Rumours, but they lacked the passion and hurtful break-ups within the band to make this happen. What we have are warmer pop/rock songs that make for a first-class album by most bands' standards, although Lindsey's heart obviously isn't really in it and I think the rest of the band were just going through the motions to get an album out too. What I am trying to say is, if they can come up with something this good without the drive and passion, then imagine what they could have produced if they'd really wanted to. All in all, it's still a great album though.

Live

2011-08-15T08:55:00.001+01:00

The Tusk world tour lasted between October '79 and September '80 and was so successful that a double album featuring some of 'the best bits' was released in the December after, to keep fans entertained while the band got round to recording the next studio album. It's the first live album by the band to feature the current line-up of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Fleetwood Mac..." starts off the album, followed by a guitar intro that goes into an electric performance of Monday morning. Say you love me follows with Christine vocally proving her worth alongside natural front people Lindsey and Stevie. Then we come to Dreams which was rather disappointingly recorded at a Paris soundcheck (Don't go is also from a soundcheck, but appears later in the album), and it stands out for not having any crowd noise although Stevie is vocally on top form.

The only pre-Fleetwood Mac white album band song to appear is Oh well, which Lindsey puts his own stamp on and really makes his own. The guitar solo is out of this world and makes for a definite highlight on this album, and I think I may even prefer it to the original. This flows into a nice version of Over & over, and it's good to hear Christine's endearing talking voice as she introduces the song. A seven minute version of Sara comes after, which is a song that never sounds anything other than great.

Lindsey gives everything he's got on a nine minute interpretation of Not that funny, turning a pretty good song into a feast of epic proportions. Naturally there is a lot of instrumental, with some dazzling guitar work at the end. I'm not sure if drugs are responsible for the strange noises he makes in the middle but it all comes together like a masterpiece. Far better than the version on Tusk. He then slows it down for an emotional version of Never going back again, which shows off his vocal talents like never before, and not even Stevie can outdo him on her heart-rending performance of Landslide (although she comes close).

The second album starts with the first of three new songs that were recorded in front of friends and the road crew. Fireflies was written and sung by Stevie Nicks, and was also released as a single the following year. It's a nice song which has a good energy to it. Christine then introduces Over my head as "the first single we ever had from the white Fleetwood Mac album" and they give another strong performance. The mighty Rhiannon follows, complete with extra lyrics, and the guitars at the end bring some added power to the song making you wish you were there at the time (lucky you if you were).

Don't let me down again isn't a new track but was originally on the self-titled Buckingham Nicks album from 1973 and was written by Lindsey. It's a powerful performance on here and has more guts than the original version. One more night definitely is a new track which was written and performed by Christine McVie. It is a tender ballad that shows off her vocal talents to the max. Lovely.

Lindsey then gives an almighty performance of Go your own way which starts with him screaming to the audience. The band are all great on this and it seems like they might be trying to outdo each other, but they all sound like they are having a good time which makes for an electric performance. After such a rush it's then a bit of a come-down to have a soundcheck performance of Don't stop, a song which is anthemic enough to benefit from some crowd participation. It's a strong performance nonetheless, but would have sounded so much better in front of a crowd.

I'm so afraid is the most bluesy thing on here, and you can really feel the pain and angst in Lindsey's voice, which together with the strong guitars make for a really outstanding performance that goes on for eight and a half minutes. I can only imagine what it was like to be in the crowd at this point. The album finishes with the last of the 'new' tracks, which is actually a cover of The Beach Boys' The Farmer's daughter. It was around this time that Christine was having a relationship with Dennis Wilson, so I don't know if that prompted the interest in recording one of their tracks. Whatever, it's a good cover which has great harmonies in it.

Having listened to this album a couple of times now I would definitely recommend that fans should get it, especially for the new tracks, although I would have preferred it if all the tracks had been sung in front of a crowd to get a real feel of what a Fleetwood Mac concert would have been like in those golden days. There are also some strange omissions, there's no Tusk, The Chain, Songbird or You make loving fun, all of which would surely have gone down a storm at the time. Although I'm usually more of a fan of the girls, and everyone gives a very strong performance on here, it's really Lindsey that steals the show overall and he has really gone up in my estimation after this.

Tusk

2011-07-27T18:18:00.000+01:00

Following Rumours was never going to be an easy task, but rather than taking the safe option and producing a ten or eleven track album in the same style they decided to go for a double album for their twelfth studio release (the third with the classic line-up of Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood), with a style that new and old fans alike would either love or compare to the classic tracks on Rumours.

I think a lot of people are divided on this album, but it's all about giving it a chance. Yes, it's far less commercial than Rumours and a lot of the songs aren't so immediate, yet if you give the tracks time to blossom in your mind you come to realise what a brilliant collection of songs this is.

Released in October 1979, Tusk is a massive twenty tracks long and it starts with Over & over, a Christine McVie track that is somewhere between an upbeat pop song and a ballad. She gives a good performance but like much of the album it needs time to grow. The Ledge is a short, two minute, instantly infectious little ditty that is indicative of what Lindsey Buckingham will mostly be doing on this album. Think about me is a better Christine McVie track than the opener, although Lindsey's vocals are also prominent and you can also hear Stevie. It's a good little pop/rock song that was also a single, I think. Save me a place is Lindsey again and is simple and melodic, with a folk-like catchy chorus. Like The Ledge it has you instantly hooked, and is also short at under three minutes long.

A Stevie Nicks masterpiece is next. Sara is by now one of her most famous, and best, songs, having been released as a single and included on the 1988 Greatest Hits and the Best of's. You need the full six and a half minute definitive version of this rather than the four minute single edit that it was replaced with on earlier versions of the CD. There's not much more to say about this really, except it has gotten right under my skin and I absolutely adore it.

Side two, track one is What makes you think you're the one, another joyously catchy Buckingham track and I've come to notice an air of New Wave about his songs on here. Sandwiched in between two of his though is another absolute treasure of a ballad by Stevie Nicks, Storms is one mighty grower and it has slowly become one of my favourite songs of hers. It's basically about the end of a relationship (possibly hers and Lindsey's). That's all for everyone is Lindsey again, and one of his strongest tracks on here. Quite a haunting melody, it sounds like he's about to up and leave the band in the lyrics - maybe it was time to go off and make his debut solo album, which he did in between this and Mirage. Not that funny was a single in the U.K., although it wasn't a hit. Lindsey manages to make some dark lyrics into a jolly sounding folk rock song, which is insanely catchy and really should've been a hit. Sisters of the moon was the fourth single in America and peaked at #86. The song takes a bit of time to grow, but there are some fantastic haunting instrumentals on here and the vocals show off Stevie's classic mystical side.

Stevie Nicks kicks off the second half with Angel (not the same song as was featured on Heroes are hard to find), which is another brilliant grower and the most upbeat Stevie song on the album, although again quite haunting. That's enough for me is the shortest track on the album at less than two minutes, and like most of Lindsey's songs on here it is short, sharp and effective, instantly hooking and reeling you in. Brown eyes follows, and it seems ages since we last heard from Christine. This is probably as seductive as she ever gets on record, and the lyrics suggest that she is asking for sex. The song is quite dreamy and charming with few lyrics, but definitely one to chill out to. Never make me cry is also Christine's and is short, heart-rending, effective, lovely and has a dreamy chorus that is like a lullaby - probably her best track on here. Lindsey Buckingham gets the synthesizers in on I know I'm not wrong (they've probably been on other tracks but I haven't noticed them) and the harmonies sound brilliant on this catchy piece of energetic pop.

They've saved a lot of the best 'til last on this album as side four is my favourite and it starts with Honey hi, another of Christine McVie's dreamy, catchy tracks, although this is more of a simple love song and just being in love than some of the breaking up songs they have been better known for lately.

Beautiful child would easily be in my top ten of all-time Fleetwood Mac songs, it is simply gorgeous. Stevie Nicks makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end on this beautiful ballad, which has some lovely haunting melodies. I could listen to this over and over again for hours and it sometimes brings tears to my eyes listening to it. It's a toss up between this and Sara as to what is my favourite Stevie Nicks song on the album, but at the moment I'll plump for this.

Filling the slot between the emotional Beautiful child and the fast title track nicely is Walk a thin line, a Lindsey Buckingham piece of brilliance that is reminiscent of Tusk, the song, in the instrumental sections, especially the drumming, then you've got a gorgeous harmonious vocal that instantly grabs you and makes for one of the more immediate brilliant tracks on the album.

Tusk, the title track, is written by Lindsey and is definitely a one-off - nothing like this had ever been done by them before, and nothing has since. But then there is nothing like it, it's one of the most unique songs I've ever heard in my life and that isn't easy to do. From the time the drumming starts you know this is going to be special, and it never fails to disappoint, slowly building up into something magical. No wonder it was a top ten hit - it should have been a #1. A rock masterpiece!

Finishing off the album perfectly, and the only song that could follow Tusk, is Never forget, a nice, upbeat Christine McVie track which has a positive feel to it. After so much darkness it's nice to bow out with this.

To sum up, this is a very long album but also a consistently good one. Some of the tracks won't be instantly memorable on first listen, and it may feel like a bit of a slog sitting through twenty tracks when you only know a couple, but stick with it and you will be rewarded greatly. It is an experimental album for the band, especially on Lindsey's tracks, but the tracks flow together at just the right pace and everything is in just the right place. Maybe not as commercially good as Rumours, but it's definitely worth investing in as much as Bad was after Thriller.

Rumours

2011-07-24T10:21:00.000+01:00

Rumours, considered by many as the pinnacle album by Fleetwood Mac, was first released on the fourth of February 1977 and was the band's eleventh studio album. It is one of the biggest selling albums of all-time and has spent nearly 500 weeks in the U.K. album charts, most recently earlier this year after a whole episode of Glee was devoted to it, which has hepled to move the album's appeal down to yet another new generation.

You probably all know that most of the songs here were written about relationships breaking down. John and Christine McVie were by now divorced, and Stevie and Lindsey weren't in a good place relationship-wise. The fact that the songs were written 'from the heart' is testament to how good they are and how they have stood the test of time.

I first came across this album in 1986 when I was thirteen. Somehow I had acquired some old c60 tape recordings of old albums, one of which turned out to be Rumours (although I didn't know who it was until after I got into Tango in the night the following year) and I was in total awe of the tracks on side one especially. Never had I heard anything like it - well there was nothing remotely like it in the charts at the time. I have been a fan of the band ever since.

You probably know all the songs but I'll say my piece about each one anyway! Second hand news is a classic Lindsey Buckingham opener in the same vein as Monday morning, in that it's a catchy piece of pop infused soft rock.

Dreams is not only my favourite Stevie Nicks song and my favourite Fleetwood Mac song, but it's my favourite song of all-time by any artist. The track is pure genius and took my breath away from the very first hearing, and I have never ever grown remotely bored of hearing it which is rare. Although it reached #1 in the U.S. it only got as high as #24 in the U.K., but still managed to be the biggest hit off the album. This just proves to me that the band have always been an albums band and the singles are strong enough for people to want the whole album. It must be a popular track in the U.K. because it was the one that broke The Corrs over here, back in 1998, although their version had more of a celtic folk feel to it. Their version is worth getting, but nothing is ever going to come close to Stevie's jaw-dropping vocals on this.

Lindsey Buckingham strikes gold again on Never going back again, another instantly catchy pop/rock tune with an infectious riff. Then we come to Don't stop, written by Christine but here she and Lindsey share the vocals and they slot together like they were made for each other. This is one of those songs that is known by everybody, old and young alike, and is one of the catchiest songs the band ever did. It's a bit of an anthem now actually, and well deserved of that accolade.

We're in a run of first class moments now as Go your own way is next, and this is possibly Lindsey's most famous song ever. It's a classic rock song, a classic driving song, the classic break-up song - a classic in every sense of the word. You can feel the hurt in his voice on this and it makes you think that some of the songs on here must have been really hard to sing at the time. It's true that the best songs come from a broken heart.

Probably one of the most enduring, emotional love songs of all-time is the stunningly beautiful Songbird, a Christine McVie masterpiece that has become one of the band's most famous and popular songs despite never being a single, although Eva Cassidy did have a bit of success with her version that is probably equally as famous now and just as captivating as the original. I still always go back to the version on here though, and don't think it can ever be bettered - Christine really makes my hairs stand on end on this.

Like Songbird before it, The Chain is one of Fleetwood Mac's most famous songs despite never being released as a single, although it has charted on download sales recently. The song is credited to all five members of the band and is such an anthemic rock song, beginning with a crowd pleasing 'scream your lungs out' vocal section and then breaking into one of the best and most famous riffs of all-time (although it's notoriety is down to its use by the BBC as the theme for Formula One).

One that was a single was Christine's You make loving fun, which like the others is still played regularly on the radio today. This is one of the more optimistic songs on the album and is catchy as hell. Another Christine McVie stand-out moment, which was incidentally recorded by Cyndi Lauper in 1977 as her debut single.

I don't want to know was written by Stevie and is sung as a duet between her and Lindsey, although his vocals are more prominent here. It's an upbeat, catchy song of hope for the couple and leaves us feeling a bit more optimistic for them. Also, it's the song that replaced the brilliance that is Silver springs, but I won't hold that against it as it's still a great song (Thank God we at least have both on CD now).

The fourth and final Christine McVie composition on here is Oh Daddy, which is dismissed by many fans but I think it's one of the most heart-felt and tragic songs she ever did. I suppose it gets overshadowed by Songbird but it's still a great song in its own right and deserves more recognition I feel. Then Gold dust woman finishes off the show, and like the previous album is one of only two solo performances by Stevie Nicks. Consequently it is overshadowed by Dreams, but if you don't compare the two then this is a great performance and has a mystical feel to it. Apparantly even Stevie herself has admitted that she doesn't know what it's about, but who cares? Like most of her songs you can make your own interpretations.

And so comes to a close the classic that is Rumours, an album that is deserved of a place in every music lover's collection as there really isn't a bad song to be found here. Having listened to it with a fresh ear I would say that it is probably the band's ultimate album, although I don't like to go with the obvious sometimes albums are so popular for a reason.

Fleetwood Mac (1975)

2011-07-23T18:15:00.000+01:00

Released in July 1975, it's hard to believe that there are only seven years separating this, their tenth studio album, from their debut of the same name. They have already lost four mega-talented singer songwriters and have a repertoire of songs and albums that most artists don't achieve throughout their entire career, however this is only just the point where it starts for many fans (myself included up until a few months ago). In case you didn't know, this is the first album to feature Lindsey Buckingham and the legend that is Stevie Nicks, who join Christine and John McVie and Mick Fleetwood in making the band a five-piece again, which is how they would remain until Lindsey Buckingham leaves for the first time in 1987 after Tango in the night's release.

Monday morning is Lindsey Buckingham's signiature song on here, it's a fun, upbeat, catchy start to the album and has a bit of a folky feel. I'd always assumed it was a single as it was included on their 2002 best of, but it turns out that it wasn't. It should've been.

Warm ways was the actual first single to be released, in October 1975 (I don't know why they waited that long), although it was only out in the U.K. where it wasn't a hit - this shouldn't matter though as a very small handful of their singles were ever as big a hit as you would imagine they were now. It's a stunning Christine McVie bluesy ballad which leaves you feeling all fuzzy inside.

I never realised Blue letter was a cover until now, it just sounds so much like a Lindsey Buckingham record. Apparantly though it was written and first recorded by the Curtis Brothers (although they did team up with Buckingham Nicks when they were a duo to record the demo). Anyhow, it is a fantastic piece of country infused rock that Lindsey really makes his own.

Words cannot describe how I feel about the next track. It is of course the magnificent masterpiece that is Rhiannon, and the only time Stevie Nicks would ever get any better is on Dreams. I do have a live version from Buckingham Nicks, as the song was originally intended for their second album, and it is considerably faster. The version on here is the definitive though, and it has become one of the band's most famous songs, despite the fact that it missed the U.K. top forty altogether, which is more proof that the charts are not a good indicator of the best music around.

Christine McVie's Over my head was the lead single in America, becoming their first ever big hit over that side of the pond. I would say that there were better songs to release as the lead single but it's nice that both the U.K. and the U.S. got one of Christine's songs as she is often forgotten about when you think of the Buckingham/Nicks era of Fleetwood Mac. The song itself is good enough to be a single, although it's not a stand-out track for me amongst some of the brilliance here.

Now I just love Crystal, it is one of their more under-appreciated tracks and deserved of so much more praise than it gets. Written by Nicks, but sung by Buckingham on both this and the Buckingham Nicks album where it first appeared, she later did her own version for the film Practical Magic. The version on here is more polished than the original, but that version sounds more raw and heartfelt to me so I would edge towards the original. Nicks' own version comes third for me (sorry Stevie, I normally prefer your vocals but Lindsey sounds great on this). It's one of those songs that just gets better and better with each listen.

Easily the most famous song on here (along with Rhiannon, and possibly now Landslide) is the classic that is Say you love me. Christine is more rocky than usual on this and it's easily the best thing she's done up to this point - only on Songbird, Little lies and Everywhere does she ever surpass herself more. This would still probably be in my all-time Fleetwood Mac top ten though.

I mentioned Landslide a minute ago, and it comes next. It is one that has grown over the years to become one of Stevie's staple songs, and it's use on the TV show Glee has certainly helped to seal its popularity, although the Dixie Chicks brought it to people's attention as long ago as 2002. It's another one that grows on you with each listen and one that I have to admit I didn't fully appreciate properly until recently. Stevie has been broken in gently on this album, with only two lead vocals to Lindsey's five.

Lindsey and Christine have a go at a duet on World turning, a rocking bluesy number which is a welcome hark back to the band's early days. I just love this, it's one to really let your hair down to.

Christine has her fourth and final solo outing of the record on Sugar daddy, which is another quite upbeat performance from her. It may not be one of the best tracks on the album but it is worthy of a place here nonetheless, and I love her little laugh as the song fades out.

The final track is I'm so afraid, which is one of Lindsey Buckingham's most powerful and awe-inspiring vocals ever. The song really gives you goosebumps and the guitar section at the end is equally powerful, sealing his place amongst the elite of Fleetwood Mac's history.

I seriously find it hard to choose between this album and Rumours. There are at least eight potential singles here, but none are disposable and any album that includes both Rhiannon and Say you love me already has the best possible start. It's easy to forget the Fleetwood Mac that came before when you put this on, but thankfully you get a sharp reminder on World turning. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie don't get much of a mention, but with seven first-class singer songwriters now having been on their books, something should surely be said of their talent for spotting talent like no other.

Heroes Are Hard To Find

2011-07-20T09:52:00.000+01:00

Heroes are hard to find was their ninth studio album and was released in September 1974. The band are now back to a four-piece with Bob Welch, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, and the burden firmly fell on Bob's shoulders here as he composed and performed seven of the eleven tracks, Christine contributed the remaining four.

Maybe it was down to this reason why Bob left the band in December of that year after suffering with exhaustion, although every cloud has a silver lining and on the next album we were to be treated with the first sounds of 'new' Mac as Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were recruited to take the band forward.

I don't want to get too carried away with the next album yet though as I don't want it to take any of the focus away from this one, which is a lot different in sound from anything that came before or after it. The first track is called Heroes are hard to find and is one of Christine McVie's efforts. It's an upbeat, catchy, poppy track which is a great start to the album - it was also released as a single but I'm surprised they hadn't given up with those by this stage as it didn't exactly set the charts on fire.

The next three are credited to Bob Welch, with the largely instrumental track Coming home next, which is a spacey, hypnotic sounding track and one which takes a couple of listens to get into. Angel is better, it's still quite trancey but a lot rockier and easier to get into. Then we have Bermuda triangle, following Bob's new found love of the unknown (which might account for the spacey feel of his tracks on this album) this is somewhere between the last two tracks in terms of that space vibe sound and is quite a good effort.

Christine brings things back to Earth with the gorgeous Come a little bit closer, one of her best tracks ever I'd say and proving why she's a worthy link between this Fleetwood Mac and the one on the next album and beyond, which people are always saying is a completely different band. For those people I would say that this, and a lot of her others from earlier albums, would sit nicely on any of the next few albums.

There's another beauty next in the shape of She's changing me, a Bob Welch number that caught my ear on the first listen. Here he manages to mix his experimental rock style with a country edge and makes for an instantly catchy song. Christine goes the other way on Bad loser, and has obviously been affected by some of Bob's hypnotic vibes as this sounds like it should be one of his. It's still a worthy song though and bridges the gap between the two vocalists sounds on this album.

Probably the most infectious, upbeat, catchy track on this album is Silver heels, on which Welch mentions Paul McCartney and Etta James in the lyrics. This would have been a massive hit if they had been more well known at that point and is another of those lost treasures that we are going to need a large chest to store them all in soon.

Christine gives her final performance on the album with another belter called Prove your love. This is summery with a positive feel, but yet strangely trancey. It's definitely thumbs up for this one though. Not so for Born enchanter, another eerie hypnotic Bob Welch track which isn't one of his most memorable, and the same can be said of the album closer, Safe harbour, which is a haunting instrumental, but for a few lyrics at the end. Maybe those last two tracks need more listens but they didn't really grab me after a couple.

A difficult album to sum up really. Christine is the bridge between this and the next album and delivers a couple of her best tracks to date, while Bob has gained an obsession for things strange and takes the sound into a futuristic phase, which works on some tracks more than others. There are some definite gems to be found on here though, although on the final track I'm thinking that Stevie arrived in the Nick of time.

Mystery To Me

2011-07-17T16:06:00.000+01:00

As we get nearer to the more commercially successful albums we come to Mystery to me, the band's eighth studio album, released in October 1973. It's the second and final album to feature guitarist Bob Weston, who became the latest member to be fired from the band after it emerged he had been having an affair with Mick Fleetwood's wife. Bob Welch takes on a much heftier percentage of the songwriting, with six of his own compositions appearing, and Christine McVie does her bit too, penning four tracks. The two Bobs and Christine join John McVie and Mick Fleetwood as the then current line-up of Fleetwood Mac.

Bob Welch gets the album off to a flying start with the mighty Emerald eyes, which is one of the best things he ever did with the band. From this track we get an instant feeling that Bob is moving them in a more experimental rock direction, with the help of Bob Weston on guitar. Christine delivers a belter next with the upbeat track, Believe me, which is rockier than some of her later pop/rock numbers and it suits her voice. She follows that with the slightly less inspiring Just crazy love, but it's still not bad by any means.

Hypnotized is another big jewel in Bob Welch's songbook. Although only a B-side (to For your love) it is probably the most instant track on the album and the most well known too, with the Pointer Sisters adding to that by doing a rather cool version on their 1978 album Energy. Following on the experimental style of Emerald eyes, this apparantly came about after an intense dream about UFOs. The sound actually reminds me a bit of Freakpower, who wouldn't be around for another twenty years yet. If you only download one track off this album then make it this one.

Forever is a joint composition by the two Bobs and John McVie, and mixes the experimental prog-rock style with a reggae-infused sounding instrumental making another winning formula. Keep on going is the title of the next track, written by Bob Welch but sung by Christine McVie, and isn't as immediate as some of the tracks on the album but a grower nonetheless.

Three great Bob Welch penned and sung songs are up next, all of which fuse his prog-rock style vocals with amazing guitar work that make for a sound that never sounds dated. The City is first and is one of the few songs I've heard about New York that slags it off, although apparantly his then fiance had been mugged there so that could explain it. It's a real lost treasure though, as is Miles away, which you could imagine The Who doing.The song is one of the best I've heard from Welch on what is shaping to be his best album yet with the band. Somebody is in the same vein and is another groovy rock track (for want of a better description). Three out of three there.

Then Christine slows things down on a ballad called The Way I feel, which is pleasant enough, although not one of her most memorable. A cover of The Yardbirds' classic 1965 hit For your love follows that, and Bob Welch's vocals really work well with the song and make it fit in with his other tracks here. It actually replaced another song of his, Good things (come to those who wait) at the last minute, although this was later recorded by him on his solo album Three hearts but was renamed Don't wait too long. Having heard this song it's obvious it was intended for this album, but I'll get round to reviewing that eventually.

Christine rounds off the album with a song simply titled Why. It's one that is highly spoke of amongst other reviews I've read, and is definitely up there with some of her finer moments, tugging at the heart-strings. Apparantly her relationship with John was already going through rocky times so it may be safe to assume that she was writing about that on here.

To summarise then, Mystery to me is Bob Welch at his peak and his moment to prove his worth with the band and move the sound in a different direction with the help of Bob Weston's amazing guitar work, providing some of the big highlights to be had here. Christine delivers too and edges her songs a bit more towards the Buckingham/Nicks era sound, which is only two albums away now, and it all comes together with something for every fan.

Penguin

2011-07-15T17:06:00.000+01:00

I won't do any pick-up-a-penguin jokes here! No, Penguin was released in March of 1973 and was the seventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac. Bob Welch and Christine McVie are very much the front players now for John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, who are joined by new member Bob Weston as lead guitarist alongside Bob Welch. Dave Walker also joins the band, singing vocals on two tracks, although this was to be his first and last album with them as they mutually agreed that his vocal style didn't fit with the band and he left by June of the same year.

Christine takes on lead vocals for a third of the album's nine tracks, starting with the opener, Remember me, a jolly catchy tune which is classic McVie. It was released as a single, although failed to chart like everything else from that era. It's a great start to an album that I wasn't expecting a great deal from the first time I heard it.

Bob Welch also leads on three tracks, and Bright fire is a great little song about hope. I don't know if he was singing this for anybody in particular but it's another catchy number and from the first two tracks you realise that he and Christine are more than capable of helping the band forward.

Dissatisfied is another Christine McVie track, and despite the lyrics is another quite feel-good pop/rock song. It seems she has settled into the band and found her niche as she is singing the type of songs that will go on to make her a household name.

The album then goes in a rather sudden change of direction with a cover of the old Junior Walker and the All-stars Motown classic, (I'm a) Road runner, featuring Dave Walker on lead vocals. I love the original and this is a competent enough version with more of a rock tone, although you can still feel the soul of the original. It does seem a bit unlikely though, Fleetwood Mac doing Motown and stands out like a sore thumb. Maybe Dave was trying to take the band in a new direction after the recent departures of Peter, Jeremy and now Danny, who knows.

Dave delivers his own track straight after, The Derelict has the feel of Bob Dylan doing folk (think The Times they are a-changing) and it's actually a great song, although again it is unlike anything else I've heard Fleetwood Mac do. The harmonica and banjo give a good feel to the track, and I really can't fault anything about it, however I can see why they felt his vocal style didn't fit in with the band and I think they all chose the right paths to take.

Bob Welch delivers his Revelation next, a great thought-provoking progressive rock sounding song. It wouldn't have sounded out of place on Future Games, although it's a song that's hard to pigeon-hole. Did you ever love me follows and is a joint Christine McVie and Bob Welch composition, although Christine's voice can be heard most on the song, which also features some vocal harmonies by Bob Weston. There are steel drums in this one, which just sound fantastic, especially if you've got good speakers.

Night watch is Bob Welch's final offering here and features one Peter Green on guitar. At over six minutes it is the longest track on the album, and is a nice mellow tune which goes into an atmospheric instrumental phase about half way through. The instrumental guitar rock-fest at the end is my favourite part of the track though. Then the album finishes with Bob Weston's sole composition, Caught in the rain, a haunting instrumental track. The keyboard section sounds quite familiar but I can't place it.

So, Penguin is a real mixed bag of styles, with Christine and Bob Welch carrying the main songwriting duties well between them. Both are true assets to the band, and Christine will only get stronger in her many years to come with them. Dave Walker adds a different element to the band on the two tracks that he sings, with Bob Weston easing himself in on the closing instrumental track. All in all a good listen.

Bare Trees

2011-07-13T19:51:00.001+01:00

The sixth studio album release by Fleetwood Mac was Bare Trees, released in April 1972. The line-up is the same as on Future Games (Danny Kirwan, Christine McVie, Bob Welch, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood), with most of the songwriting placed firmly on Danny's shoulders. He actually wrote five out of the nine songs, with Christine and Bob responsible for two each, but sadly this was to be the last album that he would feature on as he was fired from the band shortly after. Consequently it saddens me every time I hear this brilliant album, although it just makes the album even more poignant and special, rather than ruining it.

Danny dives straight in with Child of mine, a country tinged soft rock belter where he tugs at the heart-strings with references to his father who left him as a child. This is the Eagles with hard rock guitars playing. He really is on top form here, and throughout the album. The other contributers do well also, first with Bob Welch's folk-rock The Ghost, which is immediately catchy. Christine McVie delivers on Homeward bound, which hints that she would rather be at home than on the road. It's more rock than some of her later stuff, but a mere glimmer of the brilliance that was to come from her.

Sunny side of heaven is a Kirwan instrumental, the first of two on here, but don't let that put you off as it is a haunting and wholly captivating piece of music which is all the more poignant when you think of the whirlpool of distress that Danny was sinking into. He delivers again on Bare trees, the title track, which is soft rock with a hard edge and instantly memorable.

Bob Welch delivers his masterpiece next, Sentimental lady is a truly heart-felt ballad which features Christine on backing vocals. He re-recorded it on his 1977 debut solo album, French kiss and also released it as a single, which I've yet to hear but this version stands up against 10cc's I'm not in love and Eric Clapton's Wonderful tonight as one of the best rock ballads of the seventies and definitely deserves a lot more recognition.

Danny's chant is the second instrumental here, although during it Danny and Christine deliver some nice melodic chanting. I prefer the first instrumental in terms of pulling at your heart-strings, but this is funky and catchy and fits nicely with the soft rock country folky feel of the rest of the album. There's some classic Christine McVie next on Spare me a little of your love, which is the kind of deliciously catchy tune she would be doing later in the decade and wouldn't have sounded at all out of place on albums like Rumours or Tusk.

More poignancy next as we come to the final actual song on the album, and what turns out to be Danny's farewell piece with the band is the deep and meaningful Dust. The lyrics were taken from a poem by Rupert Brooke, who himself died young, and is about the subject of dying. It really touches the heart and stands alone as a great piece of work, regardless of the subject matter. Surely one to be played at his funeral, although I hope he really has found his inner peace long before that day comes.

Thoughts on a grey day is an apt poem which is read out as the last track by an elderly lady from Hampshire called Mrs. Scarrot. I'm not quite sure how this came about but it certainly ends the album on a subdued note, although nothing much else could have followed Dust.

I've listened to this album a few times now and each time it touches me a bit more. Every one of the nine actual tracks is single material and as a body of work I would rank it amongst my favourite albums ever by any artist. Danny has really come into his own, and who knows what he might have done had he not lost his way with the world. Maybe one day he will get the recognition normally saved for people like John Lennon and Eric Clapton, but that Danny Kirwan is just as worthy of in my opinion.

I haven't forgotten Bob Welch and Christine McVie's contributions to this remarkable piece of work either, both played their part in the songwriting greatness that all adds up to an album that needs to be heard by the whole world. If you're a fan of later Mac, or even early Mac, this is one to help bridge the gap between the two.

Greatest Hits (1971)

2011-07-12T16:10:00.000+01:00

With only six hit singles to their name by November 1971 when this compilation was released, and none of them appearing on any of their five studio albums to date (unless you count Oh well, which had been included on a re-released version of Then play on. Albatross, Black magic woman and Need your love so bad had all been featured on The Pious bird of good omen, and the former two also on English rose), it is safe to argue that Fleetwood Mac were more of an albums act in the beginning - and probably always have been really.

This album is definitely worthy of a mention as it includes all of those six hits, plus another stand-alone single called Dragonfly which wasn't a hit, making three songs that hadn't featured on any Fleetwood Mac album at that point. The rest of the playlist is made up of two tracks from Mr. Wonderful, and one each from Fleetwood Mac and Then play on. Oh well is listed in two parts, making it a twelve track album. Nothing is featured from Kiln house or their latest album at that time, Future games.

Track one on side one is the brilliant The Green Manalishi (with the two prong crown) which was written by Peter Green during his final months with the band. Released as a single in May 1970 it got as high as #10 in the charts in the U.K. and was unlike anything the band had done before, or since. It is psychedelic rock at it's very best and was apparantly written after Green experienced a drug-induced dream featuring a green dog that he understood to represent money. A whole album of this style would have been interesting, had he stayed with the band.

Oh well is best listened to as one long track in all of its nine minute glory. This Peter Green composition was a single in November 1969, which reached #2 in the U.K. and due to it's success was included on a re-issued version of Then play on in the U.S.. On the single, part one was the A-side and part two the B-side, but if you listen to them together you get a hard rock bluesy style Peter Green vocal for the first three minutes or so, followed by six minutes of pure instrumental rock genius that Led Zeppelin would be in awe of. I first heard this song as a house-dance version in 1989 by a group who were also called Oh Well, but it doesn't hold a candle to the original. A stomping hard rock classic.

Not an easy one to follow, but Shake your moneymaker sits well after Oh well. The only inclusion from the Fleetwood Mac 1968 album, it's the best of all the Elmore James songs they covered and an obvious choice here. Need your love so bad is next, which I spoke about on the Pious Bird album and never tire of hearing, then we get Rattlesnake shake as the only track from Then play on. My first thought was that there were better songs they could have included from that particular album (One sunny day, Coming your way, Before the beginning), but I have to say that I'm feeling this song more now and it rounds off side one nicely. I've only just realised it's about masturbation too.

Side two opens with a Danny Kirwan single that was never a hit (despite Peter Green describing it as the best thing he ever wrote), called Dragonfly. Danny wrote the music but took the lyrics from a poem by W.H. Davies, and it came out after Kiln House in 1971. The song is haunting, melodic and wonderful and it hooks you after a few listens. It's also the only track on here that was recorded after Peter had left the band.

The classic hit singles Black magic woman and Albatross follow and sound just as fabulous on here, and then you get a song which was inexplicably left off the Pious Bird album, despite it being a massive #2 U.K.hit earlier that year. The song in question is the magnificent Peter Green ballad, Man of the world, a sombre, emotional song telling how he has everything money could buy, but has yet to find true love. It starts off as a blues ballad, then builds up into a blast of heavy rock, before calming down again, and is a real rollercoaster ride of a song. Possibly my favourite ever Peter Green composed song.

The album ends with two rather random tracks from Mr. Wonderful. Stop messin' round has already appeared on three Mac albums, although it stands up rather well on here, and then Love that burns, which ends the album on a good strong emotional ballad - I'll forgive them for not including two of the better songs from that album (or an extra one from the first instead) as everything sounds great on here and nothing out of place.

Overall then, that was a first-class three quarters of an hour's listening that filled me with nothing but pleasure. If you're not familiar with any of the Peter Green stuff and are interested in dipping your toe in the water to find out what it's all about then I would highly recommend this album as a starting point. It may be hard to get hold of on CD now (I think I used to have a copy on tape) but it would be no bother to get the mp3s and make yourself a playlist. A great retrospective into the great works of the early Fleetwood Mac.

Future Games

2011-07-10T18:25:00.000+01:00

The fifth studio album released by the band in Spetember 1971 was Future Games, a far cry from the rock and roll sound of Kiln House and the blues rock of earlier albums, this falls somewhere between the progressive rock sound of Yes and Pink Floyd to the soft California rock sound of the Buckingham Nicks era that they would become more famous for.

It's the first album since Jeremy Spencer's departure, who left to join the Children of God religious group, and he is replaced by American singer-guitarist Bob Welch and Christine McVie (she is now a full-time member). Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood make up the rest of the band, now a five-piece again. There are only eight tracks on offer here, although two of them are over seven minutes long (with one being over eight minutes).

Danny Kirwan shows he is on top form with the album opener, Woman of 1000 years, an impressive rock ballad that immediately makes you want to listen on. Morning rain is the first of Christine McVie's two offerings, and the female vocals add a new dimension to the previously male orientated band. The song is great and not a million miles away from her Rumours classic You make loving fun, although the guitar section rocks like a Who classic.

There is an instrumental track next called What a shame, which is credited to all five band members. At 2:20 minutes long it is a short blast of rock brilliance. The first Bob Welch vocal for the band is an eight minute long extravaganza of progressive rock which places him firmly in the ranks. It is the title track, Future games, which was also written by him, and he also re-recorded it later for his solo 1979 album, The other one, although that version was much shorter. I still need to check that one out, but anyway this track starts off mellow and builds up into a Yes-style chorus that is just magical.

Sands of time is another long one at nearly seven and a half minutes. Don't let that put you off though because it is simply one of the best songs Danny ever did (if not the best) and is just brilliant. There are hints of Justin Hayward from the Moody Blues in his vocal, and if I had to compare the song with anything it would be his Forever Autumn from the War of the worlds soundtrack. An edited version was released as a single in the U.S. but failed to chart, it so should have been a massive hit though.

Danny's top form continues with his third and final track on the album, Sometimes. The guitars and pianos in the introduction to this song could sit on Rumours or any of those later albums, then when the vocal starts you can easily imagine Christine or Lindsey singing this. It then leads into another fantastic chorus, making it a hat-trick for Danny here.

One of the best songs on this album is Bob Welch's second and final offering, Lay it all down. He delivers another powerful performance on a track which has more of a hard rock feel than most of the album, with a brilliant head-banging guitar section in the middle. Then the album closes with a first class Christine McVie ballad called Show me a smile, which is up there with some of her best.

Future games is an album that grows on you a little more with each listen until you are well and truly hooked in its grasp. Every track is great and there are a couple of near-masterpieces thrown in, so it's almost unbelievable that the album bombed. With Christine McVie and Bob Welch on board it's easy to forget about the loss of Jeremy Spencer and Peter Green, especially with Danny Kirwan producing some of his best work to date. This is a real lost classic and my favourite album so far in this marathon.

The Original Fleetwood Mac

2011-07-09T19:00:00.000+01:00

Another interruption to the studio album releases now with this collection of songs by the original four members of the band, recorded between 1967 and 1968 and finally released in May 1971. Before Peter Green could convert John McVie to joining the band in 1967 he had Bob Brunning on bass, who features on the track Rambling pony No.2 instead of John.

The CD release is another hash-up of different takes and false starts, but with extra tracks. Thankfully I also managed to find a copy of the original recording which was released on CD in 1994, and that is what I am reviewing here.

Peter Green wrote and sung vocals on the first four tracks: Drifting has a great instrumental lead and is nice and chilled, with a steady pace all the way through. It is also featured on the re-issue of Fleetwood Mac in Chicago. Leaving town blues is absolutely brilliant, with a country blues feel it is easily my favourite track on the album and one of my favourite Green tracks overall. There is then an early studio version of Watch out, which sounds a lot different from the version on Blues Jam at Chess but is just as good. A fool no more is a bit of a slow burner but a grower nonetheless.

The first song to feature Jeremy Spencer is a cover of the Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup track Mean old fireman, which is a lot different to the Elmore James style he became fond of, but moves along at a nice steady pace. Then there's the more rock and roll guitar sound of Can't afford to do it, written by Homesick James and sung by Jeremy it's a short catchy number.

The self-titled Fleetwood Mac is a Peter Green instrumental, on which he features on harmonica as well as guitar. It's a groovy piece of music and stands up against some of the instrumentals that did make it onto albums. Worried dream is a B.B. King track that Peter does justice, and you also get an early taster of Christine Perfect on piano too.

Jeremy takes a strong lead on the Lafayette Leake penned track, Love that woman, and that is followed by his own composition Allow me one more show, which I love. The final two tracks are Peter Green compositions, First train home is a blues-fest piece of excellence and Rambling pony No. 2 is a different take on the track from Pious Bird. It sounds more infectious on here and is a mix of folky-country blues.

This stands alone as a great album which showcases the blues vocals and instrumentals of the band's early days like no other album, apart from the debut. It features some of Peter Green's best compositions in my opinion and I'm so glad they finally saw fit to issue these songs. It's also nice to hear from Peter again.

Kiln House

2011-07-06T11:36:00.000+01:00

Kiln House is the fourth studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released in September 1970 and recorded earlier that year. The band were now a four-piece and consisted of Jeremy Spencer (who was back on board but this was to be his last album with the band), Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. Christine McVie was also present during recording and provided backing vocals as well as doing the cover art, though she did not become a full-time member of the band until after the album was completed.

Peter Green had left the band earlier in the year to join a religious cult, and with him went any of the blues style that had dominated the early work. Instead for this album they opted for a mix of different styles from influences that clearly included Elvis, Buddy Holly and the Beatles.

The album is their first to only feature ten tracks, which help to make it an easy listen. Jeremy Spencer proves he has done the Elmore James stuff to death and instead opts for a sound that is more reminiscent of early Elvis, Buddy Holly or Eddie Cochran on his compostion This is the rock, the album opener. Maybe with Peter Green gone they were finding their feet and trying out new styles, but it's a refreshing change and the song wouldn't sound out of place on any fifties rock and roll compilation.

For the first time in their career you can hear Christine's angelic vocals quite clearly in the background on Station man, an infectious track penned by Danny, Jeremy and John which gave a nod to the Beatles and other big sixties bands. I'm not sure what to make of the track that follows, Blood on the floor, which is a Jeremy Spencer song where he sounds like he is trying to impersonate Elvis' voice. This kind of detracts a bit from the song itself, making it sound more like a Stars in their eyes performance. On the plus side, it's the first time I've heard Fleetwood Mac do country and western.

Hi ho silver isn't the song from eighties series Boon, but is a fine cover of a fifties rock and roll song by Big Joe Turner which was originally called Honey hush. Then we get Jewel eyed Judy, written by Danny, Mick and John and a real stand-out track on the album. It screams of the Beatles, especially the chorus, and you could also imagine Elton John belting this out later in the seventies. Classic.

Buddy Holly gets his own tribute on this album in the form of Buddy's song, which is credited to his mother Ella, although it's been said that the song is Peggy Sue got married with alternative lyrics by Jeremy Spencer. Whatever, I like it. Then we get Danny Kirwan's instantly memorable instrumental piece, Earl Gray, which gives nods towards the Shadows.

I can't speak highly enough of the next track. Easily the best thing Jeremy Spencer wrote for the band, and by far the best on here, One together is up there with the very best of Fleetwood Mac. It's another Beatles-esque number this time in the vein of Here comes the sun, and you can hear George Harrison like qualities to Spencer's voice here. A real lost classic which needs introducing to more people.

Tell me all the things you do is a great Danny Kirwan track, although there's not much in the way of lyrics. The guitars make up for it though and produce a much rockier vibe than on the rest of the album, making this the nearest thing on here to their previous sound. The album closes with a William Michael & Jesse D. Hodges penned track called Mission bell, which was a US hit for Donnie Brooks in 1960 - it was also recorded by P.J. Proby in 1965. This sits nicely at the end of the album and is one of the stand-out tracks.

Kiln House, then, the first album without Peter Green, and the first from the 'forgotten years' as I call them. Well the Green years are heavily covered on compilations, as is the Buckingham/Nicks era, but there are many treasures to be found amongst the six studio albums that were released in between, if you can be bothered to look. There are a number of such treasures on here (One together, Jewel eyed Judy, Station man to name but a few) and Kiln House is an album that I would describe as a fine pick-and-mix of styles, including rock and roll, sixties pop, rock and country. You may forget at times that you're listening to a Fleetwood Mac album but it's still a refreshing listen after so much blues.

Blues Jam At Chess (Double Album)

2011-07-05T12:06:00.000+01:00

The result of a recording session in January '69 at Chess Records in Chicago, this was Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, John McVie & Mick Fleetwood) with some of their Chicago blues mentors (which I won't bother listing as they're plainly laid out on the sleeve for all to see). It was released on the Blue Horizon label in December of the same year and failed to reach the UK charts. The US received this under the name of "Fleetwood Mac in Chicago" in a plain black sleeve with the title as a logo, and it was then reissued in 1970 as two separate volumes called "Blues Jam in Chicago, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2". In 2004 it was re-released in CD form with extra tracks, but at 22 tracks here I feel I have enough to be getting on with.

Volume one, side one, kicks off with a Peter Green composition called Watch out, which wouldn't have sounded out of place on the first album. It's definitely a predominately blues album, although there is some fantastic guitar playing on this track. Ooh baby isn't listed on every version of the album that I've seen on the net but I'm assuming it was on the original, anyhow it's a Howlin' Wolf number sung by Peter Green and instantly infectious. Walter Horton plays harmonica on some of these tracks, including his own composition, South Indiana, which is included here in two separate takes, one after the other. The second take begins with about a minute's worth of talking and debating, but both are equally funky and memorable.

Peter Green picks up the vocals again on a Little Walter Jacobs hit from 1954 called Last night. It's another one about a lover who has run off and left him, though not as sombre as some of the others from other albums with the same theme. Still a great song though and definitely my favourite from volume one, and possibly the whole album. I'm not sure if they did this as a tribute to Walter, who died the previous year, or not.

Another instrumental follows, and Peter Green really lets go on his Red hot jam, although at six minutes is slightly on the long side. Then follows that familiar guitar riff from Mr. Wonderful on Elmore James' song I'm worried, which he wrote in 1960. Jeremy Spencer gives a great vocal on this and it's pretty catchy. Another three Elmore tracks follow, each sung by Jeremy, and starting with I held my baby last night which is a better version of the song that is included on the remastered CD version of Mr. Wonderful. Jeremy gives strong vocals throughout here, not least on Madison blues which is a fun piece, and then I can't hold out which uses that old riff once more.

I need your love is a Walter Horton track which he himself sings vocals on here, after a couple of false starts and much debating. With Green and Kirwan on guitars, this is a funky piece of blues which is a welcome change after so many Elmore James numbers. Walter again sings on the final track from volume one, I got the blues, which he also wrote. To begin with it sounds flat and horrible, but luckily he is quickly halted and the vocals sound far more soulful on the actual track.

That's volume one over and I have to say that it was too much to listen to volume two in the same sitting, so for the next part of the review I listened with a fesh ear.

The world's a tangle is a strong start to volume two. Written by blues singer Jimmy Rogers, it is sung here by Danny Kirwan and it is just a great, understated ballad. Danny's own composition, Talk with you, follows and is another strong track. Like it this way isn't so instant but it's Danny again and the guitars are more noticeable here, I'm really feeling this volume so far.

After that it starts to go a bit downhill. American blues musician Otis Spann, who sadly died the following year from liver cancer aged just 40, sings vocals on two consecutive tracks, Someday soon baby and Hungry country girl, both of which move along at a slow pace and don't really go anywhere. At 7:37 and 5:46 minutes long too they are more than a bit long.

Then John Thomas Brown sings vocals on his Black Jack blues, about a man who loses all his money on Black Jack and is afraid of going home to his wife. John actually died before the album was released, aged 51. It's an OK track but I'm waiting for the Mac to get back on vocals now. Jeremy Spencer returns to the front next on a Memphis Slim track from 1947 called Everyday I have the blues, it's a welcome relief as is the following Spencer penned instrumental, Rockin' boogie, which is quite funky and the title is apt.

Peter Green returns to the vocal forefront on the final two tracks, the first of which, Howlin' Wolf's Sugar Mama is a blues standard dating back to 1934. It takes a couple of minutes to get properly started but it's not bad. The final track, Homework, saves the day on this lacklustre second volume though. Written by Al Perkins, Dave Clark and Otis Rush, Green makes it his own and is instantly memorable.

So the second volume didn't quite live up to the first, but there are two or three stand out tracks there, and over the whole course of both volumes I would say that there are six to ten tracks that I would immediately listen to again. I would definitely recommend buying this in some form, but don't try and do the whole thing in one sitting unless you're a blues fanatic.

Then Play On

2011-07-03T11:41:00.000+01:00

And now we come to the third album proper. Released in September 1969, the band members to feature on this record are Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood - Jeremy Spencer was still in the band but chose not to contribute on this album, except for some piano playing on Oh well, which was only added to the album later after becoming a hit single. I'll have to do the Greatest Hits to review that song as I'm only concentrating on the original UK vinyl version of this album here. For anybody waiting for the Stevie Nicks stuff, in the words of one of her songs, "It's a real long way to go", but there is plenty of great stuff to discover along the way as I have done myself.

This was their first album with the Reprise label, owned by Warner who the band remain with to this day. Previously they were with Blue Horizon, which I probably should have mentioned before (sorry about that, I'm new to this reviewing game). The two songs featured on English Rose did not appear on the US version of this album and they're criminally left off the CD too, which messes with the track-listing and includes Oh well (and generally gave me a headache - why not keep albums as they were originally intended?). At 14 tracks it's their longest album so far.

Kirwan's Coming your way is a strong start, showing that the band are still blues influenced but now more progressive rock based. The guitar solo at the end of the song is addictive and will have you rocking. On Closing my eyes, Peter Green manages to pre-date Bill Withers' Ain't no sunshine by two years and there are definite similarities, not only to the theme of the song but also to the tune of the verses. This is a real heart-wrencher and Green's haunting vocals touch the heart like you wouldn't believe. One of a few lost gems on this album.

Fighting for Madge is the first of two instrumental jams on the album and is 2:49 minutes of the band letting their hair down, which is no bad thing. When you say was later that year recorded by Christine Perfect (McVie) for her debut solo album, which I intend to get to eventually. Danny Kirwan wrote the song and it's another fine example of his composition and vocal skills. Green's Show-biz blues harks back to the first album (only released the previous year), and then there's Kirwan's pleasant enough, though not jaw droppingly spectacular, instrumental, Underway.

One sunny day sounds magnificent on here. Although the US got it first it one hundred per cent belongs on this album. I would go as far as to say that this is one of the best things the band had done to that point, although there are some more belters to come on side two. It certainly proves Danny Kirwan to be an underrated songwriter in the vein of Peter Green, Ray Davies and even Lennon and McCartney on some tracks.

Though there are some gems on side one, side two is easily the better of the two. Although the sun is shining picks up the proceedings and is another Kirwan winner, and another heart-wrencher. Green's Rattlesnake shake is a feast of bluesy rock and roll, and sounds like another leftover from the first two albums. Like One sunny day, Without you definitely belongs on this album and, like Green's Closing my eyes, is Kirwan yearning and pining for a lover that is no longer with him.

Jam #2 on this album is Searching for Madge, which has been moved to be alongside Fighting for Madge on the CD. At nearly seven minutes long this is a whole banquet of musical styles - blues, good old rock 'n' roll, prog-rock, orchestral music and even a hint of classical. This is followed by a proper instrumental, Kirwan's My dream, which is just lovely. It's the tunes that hit singles were once made of and you can imagine the Shadows doing this at the time, I could happily sit and listen to this for ages. A million times better than Underway, this is almost as good as Albatross.

You then get a long giggle on the original album, and then the final Danny Kirwan track, Like crying, which is another guitar based piece of brilliance and another lost gem. This is the beauty of listening to old albums, you

discover some real hidden classics which the majority of people will never hear, which links us neatly to the absolutely brilliant final track. Before the beginning is Peter Green at his absolute finest, a bluesy ballad where he sounds like a tortured soul and he is pouring his heart out like it's nobody's business. It really gives me goose-bumps to listen to it and could be his way of saying goodbye to a band that started out as his, but this was sadly to be his last studio album with them - you haven't quite seen the last of him yet though.

Then play on, then, is a far cry from their debut and a defining chapter in the ever evolving story of Fleetwood Mac. Danny Kirwan proves he is going to be an asset to the band (until his shock firing three years later) with his well crafted songwriting skills, jaw dropping vocals and brilliant guitar playing. Here we have a diverse mix of musical styles, with blues still very much in the frame but different rock styles having crept in and now taking centre stage.

The Pious Bird Of Good Omen

2011-06-29T11:02:00.003+01:00

Another compilation album, this being the UK equivalent to English Rose, it was released in August 1969 and there are five tracks that the two albums share in common. Pious Bird consists of their first four UK singles (for some reason not included on either of their studio albums), three B-sides, two tracks from Mr. Wonderful, one from their debut album and two which were by blues artist Eddie Boyd with backing music by Fleetwood Mac.

I have the original album version, not the awfully repackaged and sawn apart CD re-release from 2002. I'm not sure why I would need five different recordings of Need your love so bad, however great the song is. Like English Rose the main members of the band are Green, Spencer, Kirwan, McVie and Fleetwood, although Eddie Boyd takes the lead for two of the tracks.

For the life of me I can't understand why they omitted the beautiful Something inside of me and the brilliant One sunny day and Without you, in favour of the three album tracks that we already had. At least the latter two were later included on Then play on I suppose.

Anyhow, the album begins with the brilliant Need your love so bad, a song that was foolishly left off English Rose, which was written by Mertis John Jr. in 1955. It was first recorded by his younger brother, Little Willie John (thanks to Wikipedia for that piece of information). Fleetwood Mac released their cover as a single in 1968, and heaven only knows why it wasn't included on Mr. Wonderful as it's beautiful. Easily one of their best tracks from the Peter Green blues era, and his vocals sound absolutely stunning on this.

Unfortunately the rest of side one doesn't live up to that opening. Coming home is repeated once again and actually sounds better than it did on English Rose, Rambling pony was the B-side to their first single and is pretty average, Eddie Boyd's The big boat sounds good, but with only his vocals it would have sounded out of place on one of their studio albums. I believe my time ain't long was the first single from 1967 and is actually the same song as Dust my broom from Mr. Wonderful, although Spencer's vocals sound a lot more polished on this version. The sun is shining, written by Elmore James, rounds off side one carrying on the same blues sound that has run throughout.

Side two starts off with the thoroughly welcome Albatross, of which I haven't got anything to add that I haven't already said (see my review of English Rose), but needless to say it sounds glorious here and came just at the right time. Black magic woman follows, and again you can read my last review but it is another classic.

Just the blues is the second Eddie Boyd track here and it sounds like something that would be playing in a piano bar. It's not a bad thing though, the guitars from the band combine well with Boyd's nimble piano playing, although at 5:41 it's by far the longest track on the album. After that, the short instrumental Jigsaw puzzle blues is quite nice, at least it sounds better than it did on English Rose. I can see why it was the B-side to Albatross.

The odd inclusion of Looking for somebody from their debut (it's not one of the obvious choices on that album) actually sounds great here, and then the album closes as the previous two began, with Stop messin' round. Not much I can really add about that one really.

And so, what we have here is a slightly odd combination. I can see why the singles and B-sides would be here, but not the old album tracks - although if they were then I would have included Shake your moneymaker or I loved another woman from the first album, and Need your love tonight or Trying so hard to forget from the second.

The only thing that makes this album worth buying is Need your love so bad, otherwise I would say just get English Rose. If you combine the two albums and just keep the 'new' tracks then the tracklisting would be something like:

Need your love so bad

Jigsaw puzzle blues

The big boat

Something inside of me

I believe my time ain't long

Rambling pony

Black magic woman

The sun is shining

One sunny day

Without you

Just the blues

Albatross

And that would have been the ultimate third album in the Fleetwood Mac discography.

English Rose

2011-06-28T16:37:00.003+01:00

More of a compilation than an actual album, but as I am a completist I'm going to review it anyway. Released January 1969 in the US only, half of this release consists of songs from Mr. Wonderful (which wasn't released over there), two songs were UK non-album single releases, one was a B-side to one of those singles, two were new songs which would later appear on the UK version of Then play on, and one unreleased track. The band at this stage still consisted of Green, Spencer, McVie and Fleetwood, but a young guitarist called Danny Kirwan had now joined the ranks, making the band a five-piece.

The album starts the same as Mr. Wonderful with Stop messin' round and is followed by a short (1:38), pleasant enough instrumental piece called Jigsaw puzzle piece which was the B-side to Albatross. Doctor Brown follows, and then we get a Danny Kirwan composition called Something inside of me which I really like, and can't believe it wasn't included on a UK release. The guitar playing is great and sounds like it could be off an Eric Clapton record or something. I'd say it was acoustic rock with a blues edge. Love it.

Evenin' boogie sounds even better for some reason on this album, and then side one is rounded off with Love that burns. The Mr. Wonderful tracks actually grow on you with each listen so maybe I should review it again in a year's time when I'm more familiar with the tracks.

The first real classic on this album comes on the start of side two with the epic Peter Green hit Black magic woman. This was a minor UK hit in 1968 and then became more famous for Santana's version, two years later. I think this is the better version, although I am a bit biased, and it's Green's vocals on this haunting ballad that make this song for me. After this we get I've lost my baby from Mr. Wonderful, which sounds better on here.

Danny Kirwan proves he deserves his place among the great songwriters in the band with One sunny day, which would later appear on the UK version of Then play on. This is just great, it's summery, feel-good guitar music reminiscent of the Kinks. So catchy it could have been a hit, and he's singing "Help me take my blues away", which perhaps is an indication of where the band is headed. I would certainly say that this track was more rock than blues.

Likewise, Without you would appear on Then play on in the UK. It's not the Nilsson/Badfinger classic but another Danny Kirwan composition, which isn't as immediate as the previous track but is a heartfelt acoustic ballad about a man who's woman cleared off and left him in the night. Coming home sounds much better here as the riff hasn't been overdone so much.

Now imagine you are lying on a beach watching the waves crashing against the sand. Albatross closes the album and it is a truly magnificent piece of music which is up there with the best instrumentals ever. It's also their only UK number one single to date, and the first Fleetwood Mac song to get a full 5 stars from me - although there will be a lot more to come. It's unlike anything else on an album which is a bit of a hotch-potch of different styles, but overall a good listen.

I would say that this album as a whole is better than Mr. Wonderful because of the inclusions of Albatross, Black magic woman and One sunny day, which are three epic pieces. With Without you as well, side two is definitely the better side of the record.

Mr. Wonderful

2011-06-27T16:11:00.000+01:00

This was the second album by Fleetwood Mac, released in September 1968 with the same line-up of Green, Spencer, McVie and Fleetwood, although a certain Christine Perfect (at the time with Chicken Shack and later to become the legend that is Christine McVie) plays keyboard on the album.

And so the album kicks off with the rather cool bluesy Peter Green and Clifford Adams number, Stop messin' round. Apparantly this was covered by Aerosmith, which I would be interested to hear. It sounds better after a few listens which is true of the album in general. Jeremy Spencer's I've lost my baby takes longer to start, with over 40 seconds instrumental leading up to something that is not as immediate as anything on the debut but goes along at a steady pace. Very much OK so far.

Rollin' man is a bit rockier than anything so far and is a welcome change here. It's still very much blues influenced though, with the instrumental at the end being the best part. Dust my broom was originally recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936, and it carries on the rockier blues sound which is obviously where they're going now. Again the instrumental parts rock good, but vocally there's nothing different though.

The Green/Adams ballad Love that burns is an acoustic number which has also been covered by Gary Moore. It's fine as an album track but there are no stand out hits five tracks in. Then we come to the rather good Doctor Brown, which has the same guitar riff as Dust my broom, but it is my favourite track on side one.

Spencer's Need your love tonight has the exact same riff again, and is almost a carbon copy of Doctor Brown. I do like it though, although the whole thing is getting a bit samey and I'm waiting for the album to finish now. This would have been the most obvious hit on the album though, had any singles been released from it.

If you be my baby chugs along nicely. The Peter Green tracks are easily noticeable on this album as they are generally more mellow. Spencer's Evening boogie is a welcome delight though. It is the first instrumental to appear on a Fleetwood Mac album and the title says all there is to know really, as all you will want to do is get down and boogie to it. Green's Lazy poker blues also has a lot of instrumental, although it has a more rocky feel. The thing is, none of these tracks would sound out of place on the debut, but all together it's almost too much to sit through in one listen.

Elmore James' Coming home follows and it's that riff again. To be honest it feels a bit much now, it just seems a bit lazy using the exact same riff on four songs with the calibre of musicians that are present. Rant over. Trying so hard to forget rounds the album off and Peter Green takes it to a totally different level with this tender acoustic ballad. Although rather solemn it's actually a refreshing change and finishes the album off nicely.

So there you have it. It's not a bad album by any means, it's just not as good as the debut. The worst thing about the songs here is that they suffer from repetitiveness with the over-use of the Elmore James riff, although a couple more listens and I could be hooked. I'm not quite there yet though.